Examines opposing trends in administration and policy that simultaneously influence the size and shape of American school systems. Consolidation has reduced the number of districts, while decentralization reduces the size of the school district by dividing it into smaller units. Twenty issues are identified for districts considering either option.…

Colleges and universities have begun to benefit from advancing technology. Considering the problems higher education faces and the potential that enterprise-wide information access offers, institutional leaders must look ahead and decide where to invest in information technology support to achieve maximum benefits in quality improvement and cost…

Discussion of involving teachers and students in the learning process focuses on an approach that combined microcomputers, video cassette recorders, and print materials to design a high school algebra class. Course design is explained, software and hardware are described, improvement in student motivation is reported, and costs are considered.…

Reports on a study conducted by the Two-Year College Development Center to evaluate contract courses delivered by New York community colleges. Discusses findings related to the effectiveness of contract courses, implications of training opportunities, perceived value of training, and employer recommendations. (DMM)

The relationship between a 4-group (control and low- through high-intensity intervention) health promotion intervention program and subsequent medical costs was analyzed for 1,188 employees in a California utility company. Results suggest strong associations between health promotion interventions and subsequent reduction in medical care costs,…

Production of the meta-data supporting the Informedia Digital Video Library interface is automated using techniques derived from artificial intelligence research. Speech recognition and natural-language processing, information retrieval, and image analysis are applied to produce an interface that helps users locate information and navigate more…

Presents an analysis of the Internet Public Library (IPL) from an economic perspective, using the model of the cost-minimizing firm. Highlights include application of the model to the IPL, analysis of revenue and cost in the reference department, analysis of reference statistics, and unit cost of reference service. (AEF)

Asserts that the United States government information's five stakeholders--federal agencies, Government Printing Office (GPO), depository libraries, commercial sector, and the public will need to change drastically in reaction to improved technologies. Notes that the concept of the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) network may have…

Discussion of the Internet and the guidance of the World Wide Web Consortium focuses on scientific communication and electronic publishing. Considers the speed of communicating and disseminating information; quality issues; cost; library subscriptions; publishers; and risks and concerns, including the role of editors and reviewers or referees.…

It is argued that colleges and universities can become more productive by enhancing the efficiency of student learning. This requires both acceleration of learning through individually paced mastery learning, better academic focus, year-round schooling, and an earlier start to graduate and professional education. Eight strategies for enhancing…

The Lancaster County (Pennsylvania) public library, which receives many school districts' interlibrary loan requests, experienced a 100% increase in periodical article requests. Working cooperatively, school and public librarians developed a LSCA Title II grant to study magazine usage to make cost-effective decisions about improving timely access…

A study measured the economic utility of language study for 84 graduate students in international management by comparing their reasons for language study with several major economic indicators, including corporate job opportunities. The study, though limited in scope, yields insights into the real and perceived costs and benefits of language…

The education problems in New York City (and a number of other jurisdictions that face court financing challenges) are real and important. Many people would indeed be willing to put more money into New York City schools (or any poorly performing school for that matter) if they had any reason to believe that students' achievement would improve…

In New Zealand the most important institutions that are responsible for the delivery of vocational education and training programs are the government owned and operated tertiary education institutions known as polytechnics. The New Zealand polytechnics deliver programs at the certificate, diploma and degree level. During the course of the 1990s,…

In this article, the author seeks to articulate a critical feminist psychology that recognizes the relation between the State, and the imaginations, identities, and souls of everyday people of privilege, of poverty, and those who witness both. This paper is organized around five propositions linking the broad social context, including but not…